Family
by pickingupstars
Summary: Chrome has family, even if hers does not follow the usual definition of blood relatives.


Cherry Blossoms

Family, by a different definition.

No pairings, just something small and odd floating in my mind. There isn't enough Chrome in the world of Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fanfiction. (Not that there ever could be to me, Chrome's adorableness makes me fangirl squeal.) Tsuna and Mukuro are more than a little OOC…but I would place this as after the Future Arc ends…no spoilers beyond Chrome's existence though. Most of what I say about her family isn't cannon except her mother sucks royally.

* * *

Chrome liked to go shopping. She hated to actually buy anything—the only money she had was either stolen or Mukuro-sama's and she felt bad buying anything for herself. Chrome liked looking at all the different stuff in a mall or shopping arcades, imagining the gifts she could buy.

Ken-sama and Chikusa-sama did not like shopping. When she asked, they immediately said no. Chrome accepted that and kept to following them. Until one day she asked in front of Boss and when Ken-sama and Chikusa-sama said no for the thirteenth time, Boss offered to go with.

Chrome loved Boss—not more than Mukuro-sama, Ken-sama, or Chikusa-sama; they held her heart easily—and she had to stop herself from ruffling his hair often. Sometimes the angles of his hair made him look like a fluffy kitten. Mukuro-sama seemed to agree with the similarity; he once created kittens in the dreamscape and the kittens suspiciously had extremely fluffy tawny fur and amber eyes.

Boss did not mind going to the shopping arcade with her, never protesting when she stayed in a shop too long like Ken-sama and Chikusa-sama—who actually came along. Chikusa-sama said Mukuro-sama would be greatly displeased if his current host and his future host managed to die together in their clumsiness.

Chrome thought they were being sweet. Mukuro-sama could easily take her over if he felt the need. He was watching with her eye.

"Chrome-san," Boss called out to her from further in the shop. He had found some beautifully made bracelets. Each had a different flower. He held up one with carefully crafted pink blossoms connected by a chain of small leaves. "Isn't this pretty?"

Chrome nodded and smiled a little. Boss was likely thinking of the Sun Guardian's sister she heard about. Chrome wished the girl would notice Boss more. Boss deserved to be happy.

"Nagi?"

Chrome froze. Boss copied her stillness, his eyes staring past her.

"Nagi, is that really you?"

Chrome refused to turn around. Boss's eyes were locked behind her and he whispered, "Chrome, is that…"

"Mama?"

Chrome whirled around. Her mother was the same as ever, to the shocked look she—no, _Nagi_ often received. The toddler staring at her with her own amethyst eyes was new.

_She said she didn't want kids! _Chrome felt movement in her mind. Was something breaking?

"Chrome?" Boss asked, a question without any words but filled with concern.

She noticed Ken-sama and Chikusa-sama staring at them from the other end of the shop but her focus was on the child sitting in a stroller. He—Chrome was pretty sure the toddler was a he, he was wearing blue—smiled at her without any teeth. "Mama!" He called out again.

The boy looked like her but not her stepfather. A quick glance to her mother's hand revealed a different wedding ring.

Chrome kneeled down and reached for the child.

The stroller was jerked back. Chrome stepped back, hurting but not knowing where.

"I'm sorry! I thought you were my daughter." Her mother practically shouted. There was fear and _anger_ in her eyes. Chrome could practically feel the satisfaction and relief in her next words. "But she's dead."

Chrome flinched. Her own mother did not want her to be alive, to have survived. She didn't hate children. She hated Chrome. A hand settled on her shoulder.

"Eh, hello miss." Boss greeted, his hand tightening on her.

Chrome sneaked a glance at him. His eyes had emotions she usually only saw him express in a fight, anger, determination, and the slightest hint of savageness. She flinched again.

_Easy, Chrome. He's not angry at you._

Chrome wanted to protest. He certainly looked angry. Mukuro-sama, however, was never wrong.

"Could you please go away?"

Chrome blinked and her mother did too.

"What?" Her mother asked, her voice poisonous.

"Chrome-neesan lost her family and they weren't nice. You look like her bitch of a mother."

Chrome was not sure how to react. Mukuro-sama laughed in her mind. _The young Vongola is not eloquent but he means well and he is being _mean_. _Mukuro laughed harder. Chrome was even more confused. Boss was never mean to anyone, not even her.

Her mother's mouth gaped like a dying fish.

Ken-sama and Chikusa-sama were suddenly next to her mother. "She bugga ya?" Ken asked, inclining his head towards the woman.

"We will take care of her if she is troublesome." Ken added.

Chrome could not respond. Boss, on the other hand, gave a slight nod. Her head was pounding with Mukuro's laughter.

Her mother suddenly backed out, almost leaving the baby carriage as she rushed to get out of the store.

"Chrome are you…" She turned to face him as his question. He stopped and his eyes were wide in concern.

Chrome was about to apologize.

Without warning he hugged her. "I'm sorry Chrome. I had heard but…"

"Hey, hands off her!" Ken shouted.

Boss squeezed her again then let go. He opened his mouth but then disappeared further into the shop before saying anything.

"Let's get some ice cream." Chikusa announced.

Ken grabbed her by the arm and _gently _pulled her out of the shop.

Chrome decided she liked blueberry ice cream. She never had any ice cream besides a sneak taste of the too sweet chocolate her mother would buy but this was good. So was the Chikusa's apple he let her try. The beef tongue ice cream Ken got hadn't tasted as good (really, it was horrible and she had to eat half of her blueberry before the disgusting taste went away.)

Chrome started to think Boss had left when he came running towards them.

"Here you guys are." He said panting.

"Obviously." Ken sneered.

"I thought I would miss you before I had to go home." Boss handed her a small brown box. "This is for you. You guys should come over for dinner sometime. I am sure my mother won't mind much. Sorry, I have to go see you later."

He ran off into the crowd.

Chrome stared at the retreating figure.

"Are you going to open that?" Chikusa asked, pushing his glasses up.

"Oh!" Chrome carefully opened the box. Inside lay the bracelet with pink sakura. The place she did not know the location of hurt again.

Boss shouldn't have bought her anything. She did not deserve it. She caused a scene in the shop! Flowers were for girls boys liked. Not a mistake like her. Her own family did not want her.

_Sakura can symbolize loyalty and filial love. This is your family. Not that woman and the men she goes through. _

Her eye was what and she brushed away the tears before Ken could yell at her. "But the little boy…"

_Perhaps we will meet him again someday._ Mukuro-sama sounded distant. _He cannot stay with that woman forever. Children grow up._

There was finality in his statement and Chrome knew someday she would see her little brother again. Soon and likely without her mother.

Perhaps her brother could be part of her family with Mukuro-sama and Boss.

She couldn't wait.

* * *

Boss, in case it isn't obvious, is Tsuna.

Happy New Year!


End file.
